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Blues' pair clear the air

Franck Queudrue insists he has cleared the air with David Sullivan after being criticised following Birmingham's relegation.

By Ben Collins

Last Updated: 13/05/08 3:48pm

Birmingham defender Franck Queudrue insists he has cleared the air with David Sullivan after being criticised by the club's co-owner following their relegation from the Premier League.

Queudrue was one of eight summer signings by former manager Steve Bruce last year, making a £2million switch from Fulham and signing a three-year contract with the Blues.

But Sullivan angered the Frenchman on Monday by saying, "we bought a pile of rubbish last season and Franck Queudrue has disappointed me the most".

The pair had a telephone conversation on Tuesday morning and although Queudrue has accepted an apology from Sullivan, he is set to leave St Andrews this summer.

"I spoke to him this morning and he said to me he shouldn't have named anybody because it's not like him to do that," Queudrue told Sky Sports News.

Regret

"He apologised to me and I accept it. I could hear from his voice he was sincere so it's ok. He regrets it now.

"He said he shouldn't have gone public and I said if he had a problem with me to talk to me first or with the staff that see me every day at training and he said, 'yes, I totally agree with you, I got carried away'.

"We put everything on the table and said what we had to say. It's been difficult because it hurt my personal feelings a bit but everything's done now and surely we'll find an agreement to do something over the summer."

Queudrue admitted he was surprised to be targeted by Sullivan after making just 16 league appearances this season.

The former Middlesbrough defender only made three appearances after current boss Alex McLeish signed David Murphy in January, with Queudrue's only start coming when he was harshly sent off in the 3-1 win against Manchester City in March.

Surprise

"At first I was a bit surprised because I don't think I played enough to be judged like that," he added.

"He's put so much into this club, he's been here 15 years, and I think it's a bit of frustration talking.

"He got carried away with the frustration of being relegated and getting abuse from some of the fans as well.

"He got carried away with the summer signings because he was unhappy with Steve Bruce's choice to buy quantity rather than quality. He named me because I was one of those signings but it could have been anybody else."